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Our Roll of Honor 



OR 



POEMS OF THE REVOLUTION 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



AMOR PATRI/t 

OUR ROLL OF HONOR 

OR 

POEMS OF THE 
REVOLUTION 



JULIA CLINTON 'jONES 

author of " valhalla, the myths of norseland," thk 
'"Cleopatra" poems, "story of the ship" 

. ETC., ETC. 



NEW YORK 
1894 


MAY 5 im'^] 


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Copyright, 1894 

BY 

JULIA CLINTON JONES 



Electrotyped, Printed and Bound by 

Ube "Rnicherbocfeer press, "Wcw IfforlJ 

G. P. Putnam's Sons 



DEDICATED TO 

THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN 
REVOLUTION 

AND TO 

MRS. JANVIER LE DUG 

AN HONORED OFFICER OF THE NEW YORK CITY 
CHAPTER 



CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

OUR nation's birth-day I 

OUR ROLL OF HONOR II 

A MEMORABLE WEDDING-DAY ... 25 
UNDERNEATH THE STARRY BANNER . 35 



OUR NATION'S BIRTH-DAY 



OUR NATION'S BIRTH-DAY. 

DEDICATED TO MISS M. V. B. VANDERPOEL, 

TREASURER OF 

THE NEW YORK CITY CHAPTER. 

ONE hundred years ago 
A Nation sprang to life 
From out the womb of woe, 

Of battle, and of strife ; 
A glorious labor gave 

An infant giant birth, 
Whose limbs great oceans lave, 
Whose voice rings thro' the earth. 

Hear the bells with peal and clang 
Echoing from shore to shore — 

Bells that long ago so rang 

When the fearful fight was o'er. 

3 



OUR NATION'S BIRTH-DAY. 

When the joy-morn broke at last 
Freedom rose o'er battle past, 
And her starry coronet 
On the Nation's forehead set. 



The flag that waves so proudly 

From every loyal roof, 
The guns that peal so loudly, — 

Each fold, each peal, a proof 
Of love and deep devotion. 

Our Country dear, to thee, — 
These fill with strong emotion 

Our hearts that we are free. 



We are the guarders of our land ; 

We are her breastworks tried ; 
Her ramparts, towers, and forts shall 
stand 

In us, — be this our pride ! 



OUR NATION'S BIRTH-DAY, 7 

And as this century now has brought 

Rich gifts that it has won and wrought, 

So let the future cycles tell 

Of deeds that they shall bring as well ; 

And let our hands not feeble prov^e 

To fashion forth this work of love ; 

Thus, in our generation, we 

As master-builders great shall be, 

While every stone by our hands set, 

If not an arch or minaret. 

Shall be a corner-stone, and there 

Our sons shall grander fanes uprear. 



Louder, louder, peal ye forth, 
Cannon from the South and North ! 
Praise to God, and jubilee 
Thro' our land of Liberty ! 
Loud, and long, and ever higher, 
As our future hopes aspire ! 



OUR NATION'S BIRTH-DAY. 9 

Foremost in the ranks of time 
Stands our Country in her prime ; 
Bright her constellations blaze 
In the splendor of these days. 
Ne'er let her weary in the race, 
Nor drop one star from out its place ; 
And as the centuries weave their woof, 
'Gainst voice of syren sloth e'er proof, 
Still shall she keep her station grand, 
With Freedom's banner in her hand. 

Peal and swing 

On joyful wing ! 
Let the waking Earth 
Hail our Nation's birth ! 
Hail the giant born ! 

This is the morn 
Which yet shall lead to grander days ; 

Give God the praise ! 



OUR ROLL OF HONOR 



OUR ROLL OF HONOR. 

DEDICATED TO MRS. ROGER A, PRYOR, 

HONORARY VICE-PRESIDENT GENERAL OF THE 

NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE DAUGHTERS OF 

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 

TYRANT chiefs and robber barons 
Founded many an ancient line, 
But we boast a prouder lineage 

Sprung from hero-blood divine. 
Let the Old World's haughty nobles 

Quartered arms on 'scutcheons wear, 
Won by knights and bold crusaders, — 

Far more glorious shields we bear, 
Graved with deeds of pure devotion, 

Quarterings there of courage high, 
** Amor Patriae " our motto, 

As it was their battle-cry. 

Patriot fathers of our Nation, 

Honor holds your mem'ries dear, 
13 



OUR ROLL OF HONOR, 1 5 

Plymouth's sons, and Jamestown's 
scions, — 

Puritan, and Cavalier ! 
Rich or lowly, — one and equal, — 

Rank by rank, and side by side. 
Fought they in their Country's peril ; 

Fought and conquered ! fought and 
died. 
Brilliant charge, and daring foray. 

Hard-pressed field, determined stand. 
Forced the hireling Hessian backward, 

Drove the Briton from our land. 

What tho' need and hunger faced them, 
With their blood they earned the 
price 

Of our Freedom, — paid our ransom 
With their grand self-sacrifice. 

Never shall the rust of ages 

Dim their glory, fade their fame, 



OUR ROLL OF HONOR. 



For upon her trump heroic 

History sounds each deathless name. 
Let the key-note of her paean 

Be the guns of Bunker Hill, 
While thro' glorious choral ending 

Yorktown's conquered cannon thrill. 

But upon what Roll of Honor 

Stand the deeds the women wrought ? 

In what archives rest the records 
Of the battles that they fought ? 

When around the smouldering camp- 
fire 
Sentries paced, while on the earth 
Soldiers slept, worn-out and wounded, — 

By the distant cabin-hearth 
Lonely women held their guard-watch — 
Picket-corps — their pass-words, 
prayer, — 



OUR ROLL OF HONOR. 



Weaving home-spun, — moulding bullets 
By the tallow-candles' flare. 

When the echoing volleys thundered 

Far away o'er hill and dale, 
In the gray dawn, calm uprising, 

From their midnight vigils pale, 
Firmly bent they to their duties, 

Crushing down their bitter pain, 
Seized the plough-share left in furrow, 

Sowed the seed, and ground the grain; 
Tended flocks, and combed, and carded, 

Then, at night their shuttles plied ; 
Bread they brought the starving forces, 

Strength and sinew thus supplied. 
So, 'mid drum-beat and the bugle, 

Patriot music through the gloom 
From their hearths' intrenchments 
sounded, — 

Whirr of wheel, and fall of loom. 



OUR ROLL OF HONOR. 21 

Nor alone beside the home-step 

Wrought they in their country's cause; 
Sought no gilded decoration ; 

Cared not for the world's applause ! 
Soothing, cheering, urging, aiding, 

Piled they fires of Freedom high 
That throughout the land to Britain 

Showed the foe the way to fly. 

Noble dames, with soiils unflinching, 

Trusting in the God of Might, 
Bearing warnings to the armies, 

Galloped in the dead of night ; 
To the front, 'mid thick of danger 

Bore despatches, swerving not, 
Fired their homes to save from pillage, 

Manned the guns, and sped the shot. 

Loyal women ! naught withholding 
Home, nor gold, nor love, nor life ! 



OUR ROLL OF HONOR. 23 

Naught of glory, — naught but honor 
Claimed they from that fearful strife. 

Grand reserve-troups ! there no orders, 
There no epaulettes shall shine. 

Yet when patriot forces muster, 
They shall hold the vanward line. 

Lo ! upon a Roll of Honor 

Great and glorious, shines each name, 
In the heart of this proud Nation ; 

In the archives of her fame ! 

With the arms our fathers won us, 

Graven on each blood-bought shield 
Are the deeds of those brave women 

Quartered on the blazoned field. 
Tho' no heralds sing their story 

Pure thro' love and suffering made, 
They shall march beside our heroes 

Step with step at Grand Parade. 



A MEMORABLE WEDDING-DAY 



A MEMORABLE WEDDING-DAY. 

DEDICATED TO MRS, DONALD McLEAN, 

RECORDING SECRETARY OF 

THE NEW YORK CITY CHAPTER. 

WHILE the echoing Christmas 
anthems 

Mingle still with new-year chimes, 
Meet we now to honor, sisters, 

Memories of the olden times. 
Sweet the fragrance of these roses, — 

Gathered here are women fair, — 
But there breathes a wafted perfume 

Of magnolias on the air. 
Dimly seen thro* lace-veiled windows, 

Fancied peaks of Blue Ridge rise 
Where in vales of Old Virginia 

Ancient Fairfax County lies. 

How your faces fade before me ! 

And your tones — how faint and low ! 
27 



A MEMORABLE WEDDING-DAY. 29 

While thro' mists of long-gone dec- 
ades 

Shadowy figures come and go. 
Softly 'mid the throbbing music 

Ripples far Pamunkey's tide, 
Rolling by the stately White House 

Whence shall pass the lovely bride. 
Magnates of the Old Dominion, 

Laced and ruffled, grace the scene, — 
Haughty dames and laughing maidens, 

Youthful squires of gallant mien ; 
Rich brocades and flashing jewels 

Deck with pomp the bridal train, 
For the Custis weds the hero 

Crowned with bays from Fort Du 
Quesne. 
Sisters, 'mid this hum of voices. 

Hear that nuptial strain ring on ! 
Blessed day that gave our country 

Such a Lady W^ashington ! 



A MEMORABLE WEDDING-DAY. 3 1 

Such a matron ! Such a woman ! 

Childless she, yet thro' the land 
Lo ! we Daughters, patriot-sired, 

Claim her mother of our band. 
Faithful wife, and noble lady, 

Brave and tender, just and true ! 
When the blast from Freedom's 
bugle 

Loudly Patrick Henry blew, 
When beyond the broad Potomac 

Rang the notes from hill to hill, 
Calmly sent she forth her hero, 

Held her place beside him still. 
Grandly, as tho' still dispensing 

Favors from the mansion down. 
Fearless graced she camp and cabin, 

Middlebrook and Morristown ; 
While the hand that erst touched spin- 
net. 

Wafted fan, or turned the wheel, 



A MEMORABLE WEDDING-DA V. 33 

Still more gently soothed the suffering, 
Kindling fires of patriot zeal. 

So the love that lit Mount Vernon, 

Warmed and brightened Valley 
Forge,— 
Shared the danger, — till our Eagle 

Plucked the laurels from St. George ! 
Till the roar of Yorktown's cannon 

Died in echoes from the land, 
And the nation called her soldier 

In the highest place to stand. 

Years have rolled beyond the century, — 
All these scenes have passed away, 

But the Bride from Old Virginia 
In each heart is here to-day. 



UNDERNEATH THE STARRY 
BANNER 



UNDERNEATH THE STARRY 
BANNER. 

DEDICATED TO MRS. BEN7AMIN HARRISON, 

PRESIDENT-GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY 

OF THE 

DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 



U 



NDERNEATH the starry ban- 
ner, 

Daughters I meet we here to-night, 
With sweet strains of music 'round us, 
Scent of flowers, and blaze of Hght ; 
While our hearts send loyal greeting — 

As we grasp each friendly hand — 
Unto her, our honored sister, 
Foremost lady of the land. 

Thro' the swiftly changing measures, 
Hark ! a martial symphony ! 



UNDERNEATH THE BANNER. 39 

And beside our glowing colors — 

Rent and stained, old banners see — 
Shadowy flags that once were waving 

O'er our men on field and flood, 
Nailed unto the mast in battle. 

Steeped in streams of patriot blood : 
Flags that waved when first the cannon 

Thundered out at Bunker Hill ; 
With the Oriflamme's fair lilies, 

Proud at Yorktown floated still ; 
But, where shone the British emblem, 

Gleamed the stars of Liberty, 
And above the baffled Lion 

Soared the Eagle of the free ! 
Strangely, sisters ! how they mingle, 

Faded hues and colors gay : 
Strangely are the echoes rolling 

From the old days, far away — 
Trumpet-tones that roused our fathers, 

ShriUing thro' that time of gloom, 



UNDERNEATH THE BANNER. 4 1 

Like the blast of the Avenger, 

Sounding forth oppression's doom. 

'Mid the slowly sinking cadence 

Sweeter voices softly float, 
Earnest prayers of steadfast women 

Breathe in each orchestral note : — 
They who kept the watch-fires burning, 

Soothed and cheered thro' all that 
strife, 
As at Valley Forge were hardships 

Lightened by that noble wife. 
To the front their loved ones urging, 

Shared they all the bitter pain. 
Sowed they wheat that fed the armies, 

Spun the flax, and wove the skein. 
Honor well that " wheel and distaff," 

Teaching how our mothers wrought, 
Spinning with the thread their heart- 
strings, 



UNDERNEATH THE BANNER. 43 

While our gallant fathers fought. 
Let us cherish, then, our emblem, 

Guard each life-strand from all 
stains, 
We, the daughters of such parents, 

Patriot blood within our veins. 

Grand reserve corps of the nation ! 

Giving more than self for right ; 
On the God of Battles caUing, 

Trusting all unto His might ; 
Armed with faith and firm devotion, 

Other weapons dared they wield 
In their need, as Jersey's Molly 

Manned that gun on Monmouth 
field. 
On that stainless square of azure 

Women's patience, women's prayer, 
Holding up their soldiers' courage, 

Set the stars more firmly there : 



UNDERNEA TH THE BANNER. 45 

Standard-bearers of our freedom, 
They who helped the flag to win, — 

While the Union boasts her heroes, 
Well she loves each heroine. 

Women's prayers, and swords of heroes, 

By their strength was freedom won. 
Lo ! beside our country's father, 

Stands our Mary Washington. 
Noble type of female virtue ! 

She who trained the arm that saved, — 
Deep on history's living pages 

Shall by love her deeds be graved. 
Rear, then, sisters ! your memorial, 

Tho' she needs no sculptured fame, 
For the heart of this great people 

Has enshrined her deathless name. 

Now the strains of music quicken, — 
Thrill as tho' from fife and drum ; 



UNDERNEATH THE BANNER. 47 

Thro' its swell resounds the trampling 

As the victor legions come. 
*Mid the throngs, all gaily cheering, 

Up from Bull's Head on they ride ; 
With the generals closely pressing 

By their well loved leader's side. 
Clear the sky and bright the sun 
shine, 

Smoke of Yorktown passed away, — 
So the echoes ring forever 

Of Evacuation Day I 

Lo ! the anthem of our glory ! 

Faintly now the grand chords fall, 
And the phantom flags have faded 

From our colors on the wall. 
On the heavy air still lingers 

Fragrance that the flowers have shed, 
But a sweeter perfume rises 

From the lives of noble dead. 



UNDERNEATH THE BANNER. 49 

Lower now the lights are burning, 
And the band plays soft and slow. 

Once again your hands at parting ! 
Greeting, sisters ! ere we go. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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